


One Last Request

by TheLonelyJournalKeeper



Category: Ni no Kuni, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Literal Sleeping Together, One Shot, Romance, Sharing a Bed, Spooning, Suggestive Themes, nerea is the big spoon and that's facts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 09:23:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17937143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLonelyJournalKeeper/pseuds/TheLonelyJournalKeeper
Summary: The Queen grants him a rare smile. It’s both fond and a little smug, but she knows he likes that. “I daresay it is. It won’t even be difficult. You see, for the first time in three hundred years, I wish to sleep.”Leander blinks at her, not understanding. “But what need do you have of me, Your Majesty?”She descends the steps that surround her throne until she’s standing before her betrothed. He’s dressed in his Archon’s attire and standing up straight, peering at her from behind his glasses with confusion.She meets his gaze. “I don’t want to sleep alone.”





	One Last Request

**Author's Note:**

> nerea and leander are so good and cute you guys i would love to see more of them

“The plans are all in place?” Queen Nerea inquires from her throne.

Leander answers immediately. “Yes, Your Majesty. We leave for Evermore tomorrow.” 

“Good,” she says and rises. “Then before you do, I have one last request I must ask of you.” She has already freed him of his duties as Archon, but she knows he will agree. His reasons for serving her go much deeper than their roles and titles. 

“Of course, Your Majesty,” he says. “If it is within my power, I will do whatever you ask.” 

The Queen grants him a rare smile. It’s both fond and a little smug, but she knows he likes that. “I daresay it is. It won’t even be difficult. You see, for the first time in three hundred years, I wish to sleep.” 

Leander blinks at her, not understanding. “But what need do you have of me, Your Majesty?” 

She descends the steps that surround her throne until she’s standing before her betrothed. He’s dressed in his Archon’s attire and standing up straight, peering at her from behind his glasses with confusion. 

She meets his gaze. “I don’t want to sleep alone.” 

He startles. “Y-Your Majesty, I—!” 

“Is something wrong?” She lifts an eyebrow, feigning cool detachment. She does enjoying making him squirm, maybe too much. 

“I—Yes. Well, no, that is—I wasn’t expecting—“ he stammers, avoiding her gaze. His pale face turns slightly pink.

After a moment, she takes pity on him. “I’m not intending to sleep with you. There will be time for that once we are married. I think I shall be able to make our first time much more _enjoyable_ when I am fully awake.” 

Leander blushes harder. “O-of course, Your Majesty.” 

She walks off towards her chambers, and Leander hurries to follow her, a few steps back. Her chambers are beautiful though within the last three hundred years she’s hardly spent any time in them. She opens the door and looks around at her room, at the beautiful canopy bed in the middle of the room and the fine furniture that surrounds it. Her betrothed hovers near the door, clearly feeling as though he’s intruding, as she crosses the room to her wardrobe. 

It takes her a few moments to find what she’s looking for. Her nightclothes haven’t been touched in a long time, but she eventually retrieves a gown she remembers being her favorite many years ago. She slips into the adjoining room to change clothes. 

She emerges a moment later dressed in sea foam green silk. She remembers now why she likes it—the color isn’t dissimilar to Leander’s hair. His blue eyes widen when he sees her, and he looks away deferentially. 

“Have you always been this frightened of me, Leander?” she teases. 

“Only when you give me cause,” he answers. 

“Well, you need not be frightened of me now,” Nerea says. 

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, I don’t believe that is the case.” 

“Leander, look at me,” she commands. He does. His eyes leap to meet hers almost without his permission. “I am not going to hurt you. I have no desire to harm you.” She pauses. “Unless you want me to.” 

To her surprise, he smiles at her. “Of course, Your Majesty. I would never think otherwise. I don’t fear your punishment, merely your disapproval.” 

“You have no risk of either of those things,” she answers. “I want you here.” 

“If I may be so bold, why is that?” he asks. 

“It has been three hundred years since I slept. I am not certain I remember how. You are the only person I trust to help me,” she confesses. 

“It would be my honor,” he says and bows. The deference is charming, and she thinks the way he twirls his hands is cute, but she doesn’t say so. Instead, she turns and walks over to her sprawling canopy bed. It’s of the finest make in Hydropolis with silky blue sheets and llapaca fur blankets, but beds stopped looking inviting two hundred years ago. At that point, they just became unwelcome reminders, but nonetheless, she pushes aside the curtains and turns back the sheets. 

Leander busies himself with extinguishing the lights as Nerea settles into the bed. After a moment, the air is quiet and the room is dimly lit. Nerea almost remembers what rest feels like. Almost. 

“Leander,” she calls. “Where are you?” 

“Here, Your Majesty,” he answers. She can just make out his figure in the darkness. He’s much closer than she’d expected, standing at the edge of her bed. 

“How do you fall asleep?” 

“If I’m being honest, Your Majesty, I am usually so tired by the end of a day’s work that I fall asleep as soon as given the chance,” he answers. 

“I see,” she says. “Perhaps you should join me then.” 

“Y-your Majesty?” 

“You will need rest for your journey tomorrow,” she says. “And I will sleep better if you are here.” 

“But Your Majesty, that would hardly be appropriate,” he protests. 

She has to laugh at that. “We’re getting married.” 

“I—I suppose so. If you insist, Your Majesty.” He gives her another bow then turns so his back faces her even though it’s too dark to see much before he sheds the outer layer of his attire. He sets aside his coat and removes his shoes. After a moment’s hesitation, he takes off his trousers too and slips into bed on the opposite side as far away from Nerea as possible. 

“Shy?” she teases. 

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he says, completely honest. 

“Don’t be,” she says into the darkness. “You know me.” 

“I do,” he says softly. 

Nerea turns on her side to face Leander. He’s lying on the furthest edge of the bed, facing away from her, but she can make out the slender form of his body in the dim lighting. Even if she cannot sleep, she thinks she would be content to watch him all night. 

“Your Majesty,” he says after a moment. “I am afraid I will fall asleep myself at this rate. Was there anything else you needed from me?” His voice is heavy with sleep. 

“I won’t ask any more of you,” Nerea says softly. To her surprise, she feels her eyelids getting heavy, the beginnings of sleep starting to tug at her. 

“You can if you so desire,” he says. “Nothing makes me happier than to serve you.” 

She chuckles quietly. “Ah, Leander. Come closer to me.” 

Very slowly, he rolls over and slides towards her until they are only a few inches apart. “Like this?” he asks. He’s facing her now, and she can see the blush that graces his cheeks. 

“Good,” she says. “Now turn over. I want to hold you.” 

He complies, moving to his other side, and Nerea closes the gap between them, pressing her body against his back and laying her arm across him. Some people feel safe when they’re protected, but she feels much safer when she can do the protecting, and for the first time in a long while, she feels at peace because she has the man who matters most to her in her arms. He feels warm and soft and slender, and she breathes in deeply, releasing all the tension in her body. 

“Is this okay?” she asks. 

“Yes,” he says fervently. “I hadn’t expected—but I feel safe.” 

“You are safe, my love,” she promises. “Sleep. I will sleep as well.” 

In a few moments, she feels his breathing steady and slow until she is quite certain he is asleep, and then, shortly after, she is as well. 


End file.
